Fireproof shutter.



PATBNTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

S. B. SEXTON, JR. PIREPROOF SHUTTER.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE s. 1904.

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Ll//TNESSEZa/vm/ Patented September 27, 1904.

\ PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL B. SEXTON, JR., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FIFEFROOF SHUTTEFLI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,827', dated September 27, 1904.

Application filed June 3, 1904. Serial No. 211,009. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. SEXTON, Jr., of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Shutters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in fireproof shutters, the object being to provide emergency-shutters whereby the windows in a building may be closed in a fireproof manner for confining the fire to the inside of the building in which it originated or to protect the building from a fire on the outside.

A further object is to provide shutters so mounted that they may be readily closed and which when open occupy but little space and may, if desired, be concealed.

A further object is to so construct the sections comprising the shutter that they are prevented from unduly warping when exposed to the action of intense heat.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the parts and combinations of parts and in the details of construction, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View of a window-frame, showing my improvements applied thereto, the shutters being closed. Fig. 2 is a plan View showing the shutters opened. Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section through one member of the shutter, and Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section through one section of a member.

While I prefer and have shown my improved shutter applied to the inside of a window-frame, it is clearly evident that it would be equally effective if used on the outside. By locating it, however, on the inside the movable'parts thereof will not be exposed to the weather, be more easy of access, and more quickly operated than they could be if located on the outside.

1 represents a window-frame preferably made of metal and also preferably provided with metal sashes 2; but my improvements may be used in connection with wooden frames and sashes. Located adjacent to the top of the window-frame, and preferably slightly above same, is the rectangular frame, projecting at each end beyond the window-frame and comprising two tracks 4 and 5, a central guide-rail 6, end plates 7,4 and top rails 7a. There a metal window-frame is employed, the rectangular frame is preferably secured directly to the top thereof, so as to form an integral structure; but it may be secured directly to the wall of the building. Secured to the sill of the window-frame or to the wall adjacent to the sill is the guide 8, having two grooves therein to receive the lower ends of the several sections comprising the two members.

Each shutter is composed of two members 9, and each member is composed of a plurality of sections 10, the sections of each member adapted to be telescoped orv nested, asshown in Fig. 2, so that when opened, as shwn at the left side of Fig. 2, they occupy but comparatively little space, which may be covered, and thus form a pocket which receives and conceals the shutters when opened. I have shown each member 9 composed of two sections; but, if desired, each may be made in three or more sections, the number depending largely on the width of the window. Each section 10 is made up of two outside plates' l1 of metal and an inner metal plate 12, with sheets of asbestos 13 or other non-conductor of heat interposed between the inner and outer plates` the three metal plates and the intermediate iillingof asbestos being secured together at intervals by rivets. At the upper and lower ends of each section one of the outer plates l1 is made of a length suficient to be turned over and cover the asbestos and adjacent end of the other outer sheet, as shown at 14, and the side edges of all three plates and the asbestos filling are covered by the U-shaped angle-irons 15. In addition to these parts one section of one member is provided at its inner edge with the plate 16, which is designed to overlap the adjacent edge of the corresponding section of the other member of the shutter, and thus bridge and close the there is no chance for obstructions to get in gap between the two members when the latter are in their closed positions. Each section is provided at its upper end with two brackets 17 each carrying a roller, the rollers of the two outer sections, or those which meet at the center, resting on the outer track 4:,while the rollers of the two remaining sections rest on the track 5, the guide-rail 6 separating the said sections and, together with top rails 7 preventing the possibility of displacement ot the rollers. Located midway the frame 3 below the tracks are the stops 17', which operate to limit the movements of the two members of the shutter. The lower ends of the sections comprising the two members rest in grooves in the guide 8, and located in these grooves are the stops 18, which latter engage the several sections and limit their inward or closing movement. When the sections are thus applied and assembled, the overlapping angle-irons 15 on the outer section rest in a plane between the angle-irons on its inner section, thus forming lianges which when the outer sections are pulled, as in closing the shutter, or pushed, as in opening it, these flanges engage, thus causing movements of the outer section to move the inner sections to a fully opened or closed position. When the shutter or Jlire-shield thus formed is closed, a barrier is formed that fire cannot pass. By making the sections of thin plates with interposed layers of asbestos the intermediate plate and the one not directly exposed to the heat or flame restrain the tendency of the one exposed to warp, and thus prevent theformation of openings through which flame could pass. By making each member of the shutter of sliding sections the latter may be nested within a small compass at the side of the window when not in use, and by constructing them to slide horizontally instead of hinging them the path of movement of the shutter.

It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangements of the several vparts might be made without avoiding my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A window-shutter consisting of a plurality of sections, each section being composed of a central continuous plate and outside plates, the three plates being separated bylayers of non-conducting material, and U- shaped angle-irons embracing the opposite side edges of all of said plates and the interposed filling, substantially as set Jforth.

2. A window-shutter consisting of a plurality of sections, each composed of three plates separated by layers of non-conducting material, one plate of each section being slightly longer than the other plates and turned to overlap them at one end, and U-shaped angle-irons embracing the side edges of the plates.

3. In a window-shutter, the combination of two members, each composed of a series of sliding sections, each section having a filling of non-conducting material, and provided with flanges which engage corresponding flanges of its companion section, roller-bearings for the upper end of each section and guides for the lower end of each section. v

4. The combination with a rectangular frame having two tracks, of a shutter composed lof two members, each made up of two sliding sections, rollers on said sections engaging the tracks, and a guide having two slots in which the lower ends of said sections rest and move.

5. The combination with a rectangular frame having two tracks and an interposed guide-rail, of a shutter composed of two members, each latter made up of two sliding sections, rollers on said sections, the rollers of the outer sections of each member resting on one track and the rollers of the two other sections resting on the other track, and a guide having two grooves to receive the lower ends of the sections, and stops for limiting their movements.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL B. SEXTON, JR.

Witnesses:

V. BOND MAUPIN, J. W. STEFFE. 

